Page 90 - Bellfort Magazine Issue 8
P. 90
International Schoolboys’ Hon- Belgium in October 2017, during his choice are currently man-
ours for Ben Wylie the UEFA European Qualifying aged by a former Carnlough na-
tournament in Malta. He also tive now achieving great suc-
received a second international cess in the East end of Glasgow!
cap against the host nation Mal-
Mid & East Antrim Sports
ta, in the same qualifying tour-
Awards
nament, and featured as part of
the NI squad for the opening Ben was the recipient this year
fixture against of the Junior Sportsperson of
Switzerland. the Year award at the Mid &
East Antrim Council Sporting
Closer to home,
Awards held at the Amphithea-
Ben was the
tre in Carrickfergus This was a
captain of the
tremendous accolade to have
victorious Coun-
bestowed upon him but, due to
ty Antrim team that beat GPS
his own international playing
Bayern 2-0 in the Super Cup NI
commitments at the time, he
Ben is a highly committed and Junior Final at the Ballymena was unable to receive the award
exceptional football player who Showgrounds in July 2017 and in person.
has gained full recognition as a was voted the Managers’ Player
Northern Ireland Schoolboy in- of the Tournament. Ben, unfortunately, was travel-
ternationalist, at various age- He currently plays in his fa- ling home from Belgium, having
group levels, during the last voured position on the left-hand already played a fixture for the
few seasons. He had the distinc- side of midfield for both Linfield Northern Ireland Under 17 team,
tion of captaining the Under 15 Under 16s and Under 18s, not on the same night the awards
team in an international fixture overlooking his involvement were held. His mother accepted
against Slovakia in May 2017, with the reserve team as well, the award on his behalf.
resulting in a 2-1 victory for the having still not turned 16 yet.
Northern Ireland team at the Ben was also part of the win-
Newry Showgrounds. ning Linfield Under 16
team that beat College
Corinthians Cork 2-1 in the
final of the Champions
Cup in December 2017,
successfully defending
their All-Ireland title from
the previous year.
It goes without saying
that Ben has attracted sig-
nificant interest from a
host of clubs from across the
Ben (back left) pictured before the
game against Poland water, with trials being under-
taken with Celtic; Crystal Palace;
He also featured for the NI Un- Winners at the MEA Sports Awards
Rangers; Sheffield United; Stoke
der 16 team last year in fixtures included Alastair Seeley (Motorsport),
City; West Bromwich Albion; Sportsperson of the Year, with Jona-
played against Poland, Estonia
Swansea and Watford. His final than Rea (Motorsport) inducted into
and Austria.
decision about where he in- the ‘Hall of Fame ’ after winning the
World Superbike Championships for a
Ben made his competitive debut tends to go remains a closely third successive year.
for the NI Under 17 team against guarded secret, but the team of 89
